


Found

by Kika988



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Reincarnation, Alternate Universe - Supernatural Elements, M/M, Reincarnated Shiro, Supernatural Keith, Temporary Character Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-11
Updated: 2020-08-11
Packaged: 2021-03-05 23:41:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,774
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25833697
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kika988/pseuds/Kika988
Summary: There is no first time, not really, because time doesn't pass in the linear way mortals like to think it does. But if there were a first time it would be this, Shiro singing him awake as he takes a break in his travels, sitting against the broad moss-covered trunk of a tree.Keith has no true sense of time passing; he'd sunk into a sleep here in the deep dark of the woods when most of these trees were just saplings, and slumbered as they grew into forest titans around him.Shiro's song breaks through his sleep, and Keith rises, taking on a human form for what feels like the first time. He feels the pull, and he's helpless to resist it. When Shiro sees him and smiles, Keith knows this man is worth waking for.He's worth anything.
Relationships: Keith/Shiro (Voltron)
Comments: 9
Kudos: 53
Collections: Plausibility: A Sheith Zine





	Found

**Author's Note:**

> I was honored to be included in the Plausibility Zine, a digital Sheith zine available for free download. You can find it in all its glory [here](https://twitter.com/speculativezine) \-- please check out all the great fic and art included! 
> 
> One additional note: I didn't tag for major character death, because in the "now" both characters are alive and happy, but because this _is_ a reincarnation AU, there is an on-screen, non-graphic instance of death in the story.

"Another?"

"Yes, please." Keith nods his thanks as the bartender slides him another drink. Its only purpose is to help him fit in; alcohol does nothing to cloud his senses, even when he truly wants it to. 

Thankfully, tonight is not one of those nights. Tonight his body thrums with energy, every atom of his impossibly ancient body tugging, pulling him in to something nearby. He's felt this pull countless times, but it never gets any less exciting, or any less terrifying.

_There is no first time, not really, because time doesn't pass in the linear way mortals like to think it does. But if there were a first time it would be this, Shiro singing him awake as he takes a break in his travels, sitting against the broad moss-covered trunk of a tree._

_Keith has no true sense of time passing; he'd sunk into a sleep here in the deep dark of the woods when most of these trees were just saplings, and slumbered as they grew into forest titans around him._

_Shiro's song breaks through his sleep, and Keith rises, taking on a human form for what feels like the first time. He feels the pull, and he's helpless to resist it. When Shiro sees him and smiles, Keith knows this man is worth waking for._

_He's worth anything._

The music pulses through the venue, though the crowd is subdued, obviously waiting for the band to take to the stage up front. The air feels damp, close with too many bodies, the scent and sound of it almost too much for Keith's senses, but he can't leave, not when he knows who he'll find here tonight.

Every time he thinks it's going to be simple, thinks he'll see him and just know, but that's rarely the case. Tonight is one of the larger crowds Keith's ever felt the pull in, and he's struggling to stay in his seat. He wants to wander the building, look every person here in the face. He wants to find him, to see what form he's taken this time — not that it matters, not really. Keith will always love Shiro, no matter where or when or who he is.

_"You may now kiss the groom."_

_The cheers of their friends erupt around them as Keith hauls Shiro down into a searing kiss, making his claim in front of everyone they know. Shiro's smiling against his lips, his hands warm and sure against the small of Keith's back._

_Pale pink petals flutter down around them, getting caught in the dark sweep of Shiro's hair. He's beautiful, his eyes glittering with happiness as he looks down at Keith._

_"Ready to go, husband?" he asks, teasing._

_Keith laughs, leaning in to press another quick kiss to Shiro's lips as he threads their fingers together. "With you? Always."_

_They retreat down the aisle to a jaunty tune, beginning their lives together yet again._

Keith feels his heartbeat pick up as the band takes the stage and wonders if Shiro will be up there. It could be anyone in the arena, anyone nearby, really, but something about the stage draws his eye. Perhaps he'll be the singer — he remembers Shiro singing, before. He sang in the forest, before he knew Keith was there. He remembers other times, too— 

_"And when I find him, then I'll keep him," Shiro sings softly, his lips soft against Keith's jaw. "And I'll hold him 'til the end of time." He tightens his arms around Keith's middle, and Keith can't help but laugh, grinning as he tilts his head back to look at Shiro. They found each other a little late, this time. Shiro has laugh lines around his eyes and silver strands in his dark hair._

_He's beautiful._

_Keith twists in Shiro's arms, kicking off of a nearby wall for leverage so he can slowly, slowly direct them toward the ceiling, where a viewport lets starlight into the cockpit of the freighter they're traveling in at the moment. The stars look almost like a crown settling around Shiro's hair, and Keith can't look away._

_"What if I want to hold you 'til the end of time, instead?" Keith asks, his half-smile a little sad, because that's not how it works. He can stay until the end of Shiro's time, over and over again, but never the other way around._

_Shiro threads their fingers together before raising their joined hands up to his lips, pressing a kiss to Keith's knuckles._

_"Then we'll hold each other," Shiro says simply._

When the band takes the stage, the energy in the room turns electric. The singer's wild mane of white hair bobs in time to the music, and the guitarist works the crowd like a pro while the bassist and drummer keep the beat strong. Keith eyes the singer for a long moment; she has a certain charisma, and it wouldn't be the first time Shiro has appeared as a woman, but after a few minutes he's pretty sure it isn't her. 

Partially because he keeps being distracted by one of the dancers.

Clad in snug black pants and a loose tank top that provides tantalizing glimpses of skin as he moves, the dancer moves in ways that make Keith's mouth go dry. He finds himself moving closer to the stage throughout the show, mesmerized by the way the man's hips swing, how he flows like water down to the ground, then levers himself back up, all grace and rippling muscle. He flashes a grin at the crowd, and Keith could swear they lock eyes. It's the barest fraction of a moment, but it's all Keith needs — this is Shiro. The certainty of it settles over him like a warm blanket, quiet and sure.

Everything else fades away; Keith's only vaguely aware of the music in relation to how Shiro moves with it. Even the crowd stops bothering him — it's hard to be annoyed when he's seeing the man he's loved over and over and over again for the first time in almost fifty years.

_"I'm sorry, baby." Shiro's voice is weak, but his grip on Keith's hand is surprisingly strong despite the severity of his wound, the product of one of those silly human wars Keith never understands the point of. "I know you hate this part."_

_"I do," Keith admits, swallowing hard. He can feel tears pricking at his eyes even as he attempts to blink them back. "I always miss you when you're gone." This had been one of the lives where Shiro remembered, where he'd recognized Keith the moment he'd seen him. Those were a blessing and a curse; it made the coming together so much easier, but the parting so much harder._

_"You'll find me again," Shiro says, and the conviction in his voice makes Keith smile a little, despite everything. "You always do."_

_"I'll always find you," Keith promises. "Always. I love you." His voice cracks, but Shiro doesn't hear it — he's already gone._

_Keith sobs, as he always does when Shiro dies. He knows he'll find him again, knows they'll love each other again, but he mourns the loss of this version of the man he loves as he begins the wait until they can find each other again._

_It's these times that he bitterly hates his own nature. He wishes he could die alongside his love and be born again to find him instead of being left behind to wait, wandering the world that holds no meaning without Shiro in it._

"Enjoy the show?" 

Keith had lost track of Shiro when he'd retreated backstage after the show, but he still isn't quite sure how he managed to sneak up on him.

"I did," Keith answers, turning to face him fully. He's unable to help the smile that curls his lips. "Some parts more than others," he adds, pulling his eyes away from Shiro's face to give his body an appreciative glance. 

Shiro grins. "You like dancing?"

"I don't claim to be great at it myself," Keith admits. "But I can definitely appreciate it when it's done well." His fingers twitch against his glass with the urge to reach out and touch. He's so close, but it doesn't seem like this is one of the times Shiro remembers him on sight, so it probably wouldn't be well received. "Buy you a drink? I'd say you definitely earned one up there."

Shiro glances over to where a few fans are glancing their way, starting to realize that Shiro's with the band. "Know of any places nearby?" Shiro asks. "Maybe we could have that drink somewhere a little more… anonymous?" 

Keith takes Shiro's hand with a smile. "Follow me."

_"Follow me."_

_Shiro's breathing hard, eyes wide as he takes in Keith's sudden appearance. He's disheveled and dirty, obviously exhausted and in need of a few good meals, but to Keith, he's still beautiful._

_"Who are you?" Shiro demands, before glancing over his shoulder as the sounds of his pursuers get closer. "Scavengers," he says, scowling. "Thought they had me cornered."_

_"I have somewhere we can hide," Keith says. "Come on."_

_"How do I know you won't kill me as soon as you have me alone somewhere?"_

_Keith can't help but flinch at that, but he can't really blame Shiro for the caution. Since the war brought about global governmental collapses a few years ago, faith in human decency has been in short supply, and not without reason._

_"I won't hurt you," Keith promises. "I promise." He holds a hand out toward Shiro. "Trust me?"_

_The shouts draw nearer, sounds of people scrabbling through rubble less than a block away._

_Shiro takes his hand._

The club is only a few blocks away, but it may as well be worlds apart from the venue Shiro and the band had performed in. It's darker and more crowded, the music a little lighter on the vocals and heavier on the bass. They chat through a couple drinks at the bar, but it isn't long before Shiro's tugging him toward the dance floor, and Keith is, as ever, helpless to resist him.

Shiro's magnetic, the gravity of his smile forever pulling Keith in closer even as his hands on his hips do the same. Keith moves with him as well as he can; despite the fathomless power contained in his form, he can't seem to feel the beat as well as Shiro can, so he can only follow his lead, a role Shiro seems happy to fill.

"Thought you said you couldn't dance," Shiro says, his breath ghosting over Keith's ear when he leans in close to be heard over the thumping bass of the music. 

"I never said that," Keith protests, grinning. He's got his arms around Shiro's neck, and Shiro's fingers tighten on Keith's hips when Keith speaks. "Just that I liked watching you. Kinda like this, too, though."

"Kinda?" Shiro teases. Keith grins up at him, and Shiro's eyes widen. "Your eyes…" 

Keith blinks, pulling his illusion on around himself more tightly, stopping his eyes from glowing purple in the darkness. "Blacklight does weird things, huh?" he says, forcing a smile.

"...yeah," Shiro agrees, picking the dance up as a new song starts. 

_"You're not entirely human, are you?"_

_Keith goes still, frozen for a brief moment before he continues pulling his shirt on. This discussion doesn't always go well. Sometimes it takes Shiro a long time to come around, especially if he never remembers his past lives._

_"Why do you ask?"_

_"Your eyes," Shiro says quietly. "They were glowing."_

_"I'm sorry," Keith says, and he means it, in more ways than one. He's sorry he was so sloppy with his power, sorry that he couldn't introduce Shiro to this slowly this time. He's sorry he's not human. He's sorry he can never grow old with Shiro._

_"Don't be," Shiro says quickly. "It was… you're beautiful. I'm just curious. What are you?"_

_Keith's lips quirk up as he sits on the edge of the bed and turns back toward Shiro. "I'm… old," he starts. At Shiro's slow nod, he continues. "There isn't a word for me, not in any language that still exists." He picks up Shiro's hand, meets his eyes, and takes a chance. "But you've always just called me Keith, in every life I've known you before."_

_Shiro's eyes go wide, and Keith wonders for a moment if he's misjudged, but then Shiro's lips are on his, and he doesn't wonder about anything for a while._

Keith wakes the next morning to a large hand splayed across his abdomen, warm gray eyes watching him, considering. 

"Morning," Keith rasps, and Shiro smiles. It's like the sun rising. Keith wants to see it every morning. 

Shiro leans in to press a kiss to Keith's lips. "Good morning. Sleep well?" 

"Yeah, great. Someone wore me out last night," Keith says, grinning wryly. "You?" 

Shiro hums, nodding slowly. "I did." He pauses, his thumb sweeping back and forth just over Keith's belly button. "Dreamed about you."

Keith goes very still, then forces a casual smile. "Oh yeah? Didn't get enough of me while we were awake?" 

"Apparently not," Shiro chuckles. He looks down at his hand, where his skin meets Keith's. "I dreamed you were waiting for me. We were going somewhere, and I was running late. Kept messing with my hair," he says, grinning. Keith smiles fondly and flicks his fingers over the fringe of Shiro's white hair. It's usually dark, but this looks nice on him too. 

"Then it shifted," Shiro continues. "I kept messing with my hair, but I changed. My hair was dark, and I was younger. Then I was older, with silver in my hair. Then I was a pirate, then I had what looked like an astronaut helmet on, then a metal arm, then a full suit of armor. I always looked different, but I was always me." He looks up, meets Keith's eyes. "And the whole time, you waited." 

Keith swallows hard. "I'm good at waiting," he says quietly. _I learned that from you_ , he doesn't add. 

Shiro nods. He hesitates, then adds, "Dream-you wasn't human. I don't know how I knew that, I just did, in that weird dream way."

"What was I?" Keith feels like he's holding his breath; an odd sensation, for a being older than time that doesn't actually need lungs, much less breath. 

"I don't know," Shiro says, his eyes never leaving Keith's. "Ancient. Beautiful." He cups Keith's face in his hands. "Lonely."

"I'm not lonely right now," Keith says pointedly, shifting closer in to Shiro's warmth. 

Shiro smiles a little. "Good." He presses light kisses over each of Keith's eyelids, then pulls back to look at him again. "You're still sad, though, aren't you?" 

"Me, or dream-me?"

"Are you trying to tell me there's a difference?"

After a long moment, Keith shakes his head, and Shiro relaxes a little. He knows. As always, Keith isn't sure whether he's grateful for that or not. 

"So?" Shiro prompts. 

"So, what?"

"Are you sad?"

Keith takes one of Shiro's hands in his own, lacing their fingers together. This version of Shiro has large, broad hands that Keith is very fond of. 

"A little," he admits. "Finding you… it's beyond amazing, better than I can put into words. It's literally what I live for. But it's also the beginning of the countdown to me losing you again." 

Shiro lets out a long, slow breath, then raises their joined hands and presses a kiss to Keith's knuckles. Then, as he always does, he meets the challenge head on and says exactly what Keith needs to hear.

"I guess we better make the most of the time we have, then, huh?"

_Keith steps around the wide trunk of a centuries-old oak, the moss on the forest floor cool and springy beneath the feet of this new human form. Shiro startles, stopping partway through a line of the borderline-bawdy tavern song he'd been singing._

_"Oh! I'm sorry, I didn't know there was anyone else out here." He offers a dazzling smile, and Keith can't help but give a small smile of his own in return. "I'm Shiro."_

_"Hello, Shiro," Keith says, and he's a little sad, because he knows this is the start of the countdown to losing Shiro—again, but also for the first time, because time doesn't pass in the linear way that mortals like to think it does. But that also means there's never a last time, that Shiro is always waiting for him in the future, and that's worth everything, over and over and over again. "I'm Keith."_

**Author's Note:**

> Come say hi on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/kika988_) \-- thanks for reading!


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